Lax Her Essential: The Exit Interview with JMU's Mary Kate Lomady

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This week’s Lax Her Essential features James Madison standout Mary Kate Lomady as she goes through an exit interview talking about her experiences in lacrosse thus far. In 2011, amongst her many awards on and off the field Mary Kate was on the Tewaaraton watch list and named captain of the JMU squad that won back-to-back conference championships. She talks to IL on how she first started to love the game, her experiences as a player at James Madison, offers some advice to players looking to break into the college game and some advice to current collegiate players.

When did you start playing lacrosse? Do you remember your first game?

Mary Kate: I started playing lacrosse pretty young, pretty much about the time that I started to walk. When I was young my dad was really involved with coaching high school lacrosse in our area so I had a lacrosse stick in my hand pretty early on along with my younger brothers. I actually have five brothers and they are all younger and we all kind of picked it up around the same time. I remember my Dad coming back when I was like four or five years old and he gave us those little fiddle sticks. My first game was right around the fourth grade and that's when I first started playing competitively, but I don't actually remember the game.
At what point do you remember learning to love this game?

MK: Yeah, for me I'd have to say it was definitely in high school. It wasn't until high school that I was able to get some real legitimate coaching from my high school coach Julie Martinez. She really worked with me and really helped to improve my game in addition to the fact that you're playing with girls that are better and that you're friends with them. When I started to improve and was playing with my friends is what really jump-started my love for the game.

Looking back at your career what do you feel it takes to be a successful collegiate lacrosse player?

MK: There's a bunch of things. There are certain characteristics and things that you can't necessarily coach into a player in being passionate, being aggressive and really wanting to be a competitor. Those three things are really crucial traits to being a successful women's player.
If you were able to sit down and talk to a high school player about to make their decision on where to go to college and play lacrosse what advice would you give to them?

MK: I would probably say to not feel pressured by these coaches that are recruiting them. The process has changed so much from the time when I was first getting recruited just five or six years ago to now where everything has just been bumped up and increased and now girls are committing so early. I was really lucky in my recruitment process to not feel pressured by these coaches that were recruiting me. I felt that they were very understanding, which I can't say about some of the coaches recruiting girls these days.

You should really get to know the coaching staff and the players understanding that you need to be comfortable with them because you're going to be spending the next four years with these girls and the coaching staff. Make sure that you feel comfortable with all of their personalities and what you want in a school.
What piece of advice would you give to current players on how to make the most out of their time?

MK: Work hard, but don't take yourself too seriously. Realize that you dedicate a lot of your life to practice, it can be hard, and you need to learn how to make light of the situation by going out and having fun with your teammates or goofing off to a certain extent. Make sure that you are having fun would be my biggest suggestion.
Remember back when you were first making the decision of where to go to school and you were weighing out your options why did you choose JMU? What type of opportunities did you get there that you feel you may not have gotten by going to another school?

MK: I was so lucky because JMU really encompasses the idea of southern hospitality and when I went for my initial visit I felt very welcome. Their coaching and support staff is amazing. Everyone from the football coaches to the trainers are genuinely invested in what they are doing and are very supportive of the fact that you are there for the school and your program. It was a sense that I could just feel initially. In addition to the girls and the coaching staff that played a huge part in my decision to commit to JMU.
Looking back over your playing career at JMU what is your most memorable moment with your teammates? Why was that moment so special?

MK: There are so many. The two most memorable moments would probably be being able to win the CAA championship last year. That was really cool because my sophomore year we went five and eleven so be able to come back my junior year and go seventeen and three and be able to win the CAA championship was just awesome. This year, as a senior, to be able to lead a team to repeat that championship as back-to-back champions — those moments have just stick with me and are so special.

We also had a bunch, there’s a whole set of traditions called pass downs and they are held by a senior and passed down to an underclassman. We’d do anything from singing our fight song on our way to games to rocking the bus that takes us to the games. Those small things are what made my experience so unique and special.

What was your least desirable moment and how were you able to overcome that obstacle?

MK: Well just coming off of the season the one that sticks out in my mind it would be our loss to Princeton in the first round of the NCAA tournament just a few weeks ago. You know that was tough being my senior year. We went to the elite eight last year and then just kind of ended up not having everything together and we lost to Princeton. That’s an obstacle that I personally can’t overcome, but I would encourage my teammates to focus more on winning the NCAA tournament now that we have the CAAs under our belts. I would just urge them to put more time, energy and focus into going further into the NCAA tournament.
Are you satisfied with how your college career played out?

MK: You know looking at it now just finishing up I really feel that I had the complete college experience from playing, from representing the university on the field, the academics or any extracurricular activities that we participated in I’m so lucky and I couldn’t be more truthful when I say that. I am so happy and grateful that I got to play at JMU and to be honest I can’t really think of anything that I would change looking back.
If you could do it all over again is there anything that you would change?

MK: If I could do it all over again I would still choose to attend JMU, but coming in as a freshmen if I could change anything it would be to be more confident. I don’t really think freshmen in general understand how much power they really do have to impact a program. I came in being a little more timid than I would’ve liked to of been. Coming in it’s intimidating and it’s a hard adjustment, but coming in it would be me caring less of really what the upperclassman thought and me going out there and really trying my best and play my game.
What are your biggest life lessons you take away from playing collegiate lacrosse?

MK: It’s kind of funny, but true when I say that I feel like I learned more from playing four years of lacrosse than four years in the classroom. I just learned so many things and continue to learn a lot about communication, teamwork and I think one of the biggest things is to not take anything for granted. There can be injuries and obstacles that you don’t plan for over your four years so you need to embrace your teammates, always have their backs and learn how to work as a team to be productive. All of those things will transfer over into the work world with your colleagues and having interpersonal skills I think are big ways I’ve benefited.
What do you feel is the women's games biggest challenge or area for improvement? What's your solution?

MK: You might want to ask my Dad about this one. I guess I would say when a foul is committed on an attacker, it ends up being an eight-meter shot and they score. A lot of the time the goal is taken away from them and I don’t think that’s right I think they should have the advantage and the flag should be held if the attacker scores the goal shouldn’t be taken away from them so that they can be put on the eight-meter and then have a chance to miss. That’s definitely something I feel needs to be altered.

So what's next on your agenda? Has playing lacrosse helped prepare you for that?

MK: Yes, like I had mentioned before it’s prepared me in so many ways. Directly fitting into my scenario I would say yes because I am looking into coaching — so absolutely. I don’t have anything lined up just yet and just currently looking.

Do you have any immediate plans for the summer in continuing to play the game?

MK: Not right now, I am lucky enough to be playing in the North vs. South senior all-star game this Saturday along with two of my teammates from JMU. So that’s what’s on the agenda right now. I’m definitely looking forward to playing in the alumni game come fall, but as of right now I am trying to recuperate and let my body rest after a long season. So for right now the North vs. South game is the next thing on my agenda along with getting into coaching.

Would you like to give any shout outs?

MK: I would like to give a shout out to my high school coach Julie Martinez she was actually a JMU alumni (’00) and she was such a big reason for why I was able to be a successful Division I college lacrosse player. She really kicked my butt and helped to get my recruiting dvd’s and questionnaires out there. I really owe her a lot to her for helping me get to the point where I am now. In addition to that I would say my parents. I don’t know if they get enough credit from me or from any other player for being so supportive and taking us to all those tournaments all throughout middle school and high school. They were just really there to help support my dreams. Obviously my teammates and coaching staff at JMU — I am so lucky and fortunate to have them as coaches and teammates. Oh one last one, to our parent group at JMU for the tailgates, the hugs and all the support that they’ve given I just want to thank them.

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